Smith: I am aiming for comeback before end of season

Miles Smith feels he has something of a point to prove on more than one score.

The defender is working as hard as he can to prove his physiotherapist wrong and play for Cambridge City again this season after breaking his leg against Banbury on December 4.

Cycling around town and pumping iron in the gym are helping. The 20-year-old right-back is confident he can help his team-mates during the run-in.

And once he is playing again, Smith is determined to show the clubs he has left in the past he has what it takes to make a name for himself in the sport.

"I’m working hard in the gym and walking all right on it at the moment," said Smith.

"The physio thinks I’ll be out for the rest of the season, but I’m trying to prove that wrong.

"I’m doing some cycling at the moment and some upper-body work. I would say I should be able to start jogging within the next few weeks.

"It’s frustrating because the boys are playing and I’m not. But I’m just trying to keep positive, keep working hard and keep believing.

"I’ve got to be patient and I can’t rush things, but I don’t want to not do anything at home. I want to keep pushing myself.

"Even if I do get back this season and I’m on the bench, I’ve got to be fit and ready if I’m called upon."

Smith started out at West Ham before moving to Wycombe Wanderers to complete his scholarship.

A professional deal was not forthcoming with the Chairboys, however, and spells at Chertsey and Farnborough, along with a previous stint at City, have followed.

"It’s a challenge moving from club to club, but at the moment I’m really happy at City and I want to settle here," said Smith.

"I want to establish myself and it would be nice to prove to clubs I’ve been at in the past that I can get back up to a higher level. With this club, it’s definitely possible.

"I’m really happy with everything and the club’s run really well."

Away from football Smith is currently studying for a Btec in architecture at Cambridge Regional College, and the chance to go to university will present itself if he passes this year.

He is also studying the performances of the man currently wearing the No 2 shirt in his absence – the on-loan Colchester defender Jackson Ramm – as well as keeping tabs on his colleagues’ form at home games.

"I’ve watched him a couple of times and he’s a very good player," said Smith.

"He’s only young, like me, but he’s getting good experience. He’s come from Colchester, so he’s going to need game time.

"I’m still seeing the players and seeing the home games, and they’re doing all right. There’s a good squad and I definitely think we can get in the play-offs."

Smith should be cheering his team-mates on tomorrow as City entertain second-placed Hemel Hempstead at the Pro-Edge Stadium.

And with leading scorer Craig Hammond out with sciatica, manager Gary Roberts wants his midfielders to help forwards Adam Marriott and Mitchell Bryant out when it comes to goalscoring.

"We’re not scoring masses of goals at the moment and we need to take our chances when they come," said Roberts. "We’ve gone a bit dry from set pieces as well and they have been an important source of goals for us."

A win for City would put them within a point of Hemel Hempstead and could see them move up one place to third in the Premier Division.